


Imperium

by KentuckyTheFried



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles X
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-13
Updated: 2020-06-19
Packaged: 2020-06-27 17:00:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19795144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KentuckyTheFried/pseuds/KentuckyTheFried
Summary: After the battle at the Lifehold Core, humanity is finally able to rest and recover, able to bask in relative peace. But the planet has other plans and desires - and is claiming what it is rightfully due. The only one who can tame Mira's rage is L'Cirufe, the mysterious blue xenoform whose past is unknown. However, as the stakes are raised and his best friend Pongo (Cross) is put in danger, L is forced to bring some of his darkest secrets to light.





	1. Primordia

_ It was a haven for those who could not fight, and at one point it was for those who refused to fight. But they didn’t stay for long. The war caught up to them and forced them in.  _

_ He was one of the unlucky ones. He considered himself a pacifist. He thought he could help people who couldn’t fight, bring them food and protect them from the dangers of the plains. But the draft came too quickly. They needed more fodder for the front lines, and who better to pick than those unwilling to fight? _

_ He was being escorted away from the camp. He could hear them, the voices of the lost, crying, calling out to the soldiers to stop, to let him go. He closed his eyes, the darkness a brief release from reality. The voices grew quiet, the air still. He couldn’t feel his feet touching the ground anymore. When he opened his eyes, the darkness remained. _

_ And one voice, an echoing whisper, rang in his ears. _

**_“Run to Noct’ikai-lysium. I will keep them at bay.”_ **

_ He blinked, the darkness fading. The soldiers still stood around him, but they dared not move. Time - no, the very force controlling time - wouldn’t allow it. But he could feel his fingers pressing into his palms, the thick bead of sweat running down his left temple. He knew the way to the forest continent. He ran, and didn’t look back. _

  
~

“Mayhaps you would be intrigued in the Contraption of Several Delights! It possesses thirteen buttons, the luckiest human number, and depending on which button is pressed you are blessed or cursed with different findings!”

The shop was busy. L wasn’t surprised, he knew he’d get a fair amount of business since the shop was so innovative, ahead of human expertise. Jejebba had errands to run, and L had expected to be manning the shop alone for the day. But Pongo had stepped in to help. While it was a wonderful sentiment, the shop became increasingly busy, no doubt because a member of Elma’s team was working there - and no doubt because said member of Elma’s team had been in the direct fight to save the Lifehold Core. Pongo was talking to a few BLADEs on the side, making wild hand gestures as he explained the happenings inside the core, how they had to fight the Vita and Lao and several chimera creatures -

“Mister L?”

L snapped out of his thoughts, realizing that the Contraption of Several Delights, a small box shaped object with thirteen buttons on its top side, in his hands. The woman before him was a regular customer, Mia. If he recalled correctly, she was a recent addition to BLADE, and a good friend of Pongo’s.

“Pardon us, fair madame, it seems that our thoughts left our brain!” L apologized.

“No worries! Though I was gonna ask, how much is it?” She gestured to the box, “It sounds a lot like a gacha game, and I love taking chances, no matter how big or small!”

L smiled. “We see you understand its magnificence! This wondrous item is priced at a mere ten thousand credits.”

“Whaaaat? That seems a bit pricey, dontcha think?” Mia’s eyes were blown wide. “I don’t think I have that much…”

In that moment, her gaze drifted and landed on Pongo, who was still conversing with the same group of BLADES. She called out, “Hey Pon!! Can ya lend me some credits real quick?”

He turned, and there they were, the  _ eyes _ . L could see the stars within the indigo, galaxies that contained dreams and thoughts he could never perceive. It was hard to tell, but his focus shifted to the box in L’s hands, and some of the stars lit up in recognition. Seconds later, the same stars dimmed in disappointment.

“I am not fueling your gacha addiction, Mia.”

Her shoulders slumped as she groaned. “Pleaaaaaaase?”

L could only assume Mia was giving Pongo what humans referred to as “puppy dog eyes”, though he never did understand that comparison. Mia’s eyes looked completely human to him. Regardless, Pongo mumbled something under his breath before politely dismissing the group of BLADEs to stand next to Mia, pulling out his comm device from his back pocket. “How much do you need.”

“It’s only ten thousand credits!” Mia chirped.

Pongo raised an eyebrow. “And how much of that will come out of your pockets?”

“...I have...two?”

“Thousand?”

“...no, just two…”

“Mia, we talked about this,” Pongo’s comm device lowered as his brow furrowed. “You should really be saving your credits. I know you think you need a lot of material things to be happy, but spending credits on things you want but do not need is dangerous. What happens if you find yourself without any credits and you need your Skell repaired for an important mission? Or you break some armor and need to buy a new set? I cannot keep supporting you like this. You have to take responsibility.”

Mia’s arms crossed over her chest, and she started to pout. “I mean, you technically can keep supporting me...you’re filthy rich and hardly spend the money on anything nowadays.”

“You are missing my point.”

Her gaze lowered and she adjusted her feet, finding that the ground below was oddly fascinating. L watched Pongo as he raised his comm device raised yet again, pushing some of its digital buttons. L knew what he was doing.

“Okay Mia, I paid for it all.”

Mia’s head shot back up. “Really? You’re the BEST, Pon, thank you so so much!!”

She embraced him in that moment, and L smiled as Pongo’s arms wrapped around her tiny frame, a soft grin forming on his pale pink lips. Mia jumped back, ending the hug quickly and taking the box in the next second. “I’ll see you for that tyrant mission tomorrow!”

And there she went, skipping down Armory Alley with the box cradled in her arms. Pongo chuckled, a soft noise that was almost drowned out by the commotion of the alley, before turning back to L.

“Sorry about that. The credits were transferred over successfully.”

L’s head tilted in curiosity. “We thank you for your presumed patronage, but what tickles our fancy more was your display of generosity. It would seem that Elma has been rubbing herself all over you.”

Pongo blinked once. “How do you mean?”

“Your speech about material possessions and being wise in the spending of currency is one that is backed by logic and wisdom alike. It was something we would expect Elma to say, but not you.”

At that, Pongo laughed again, more audibly. “I guess I should take that as a compliment! It means her teachings are not going to waste.”

“Precisely! And it means you are growing as an individual,” L said, “Now, as much as we would love to probe your brain for more intellectual teachings, our shop will not be able to manage finances and purchases all by itself!”

“Right! Back to work!” Pongo chirped, stepping back towards the group of BLADEs. L noted how one of them, a dark skinned man, was observing the table in front of him. As he threw himself back into the fray, L did his best to ignore Pongo and the crowd around him, how the stars danced in his eyes as he told his tale again and again. No matter how many people asked, he would give the same enthusiasm, the same energy. 

Perhaps it was because of that consistent enthusiasm that L was able to notice how suddenly Pongo’s attitude changed.

It was closer to the end of the day, mere minutes before L was going to close up the shop for the day. There were still some stragglers looking around, some talking to Pongo, some talking to L, some using the augment creator. Though it didn’t escape L’s attention that Pongo was quickly growing fatigued, he figured Pongo would be able to last until it was time to close. 

Everything seemed normal until L felt it, the pulse beneath his feet, the faintest of heartbeats. He knew it well, and had experienced it before, though the occurrence was rare. He almost shrugged it off, knowing it was just the planet’s way of fueling miranium through its underground veins.

But L stopped dead in his tracks when he realized that Pongo had collapsed with the planet’s pulse. 

He ran over to him, the passersby crying out with concern. L’s charisma kicked in and he quickly told those around him, “He is simply in need of a well evening’s rest!”

That lie was the one people would believe the most. Many people knew of Pongo’s insomnia, how he would go days, weeks without proper sleep. He was prone to collapsing if he overworked himself, and especially if he didn’t get a proper amount of rest. The people around him nodded in understanding, backed away, still casting worried glances towards them every once in a while. 

L scooped Pongo up in his arms, unfazed by how much he weighed. The closest place he could go was in his own tent, so L bent down, took him inside the small pillowed space. While comfortable, it wasn’t the quietest place in the world. That was simply because the hideaway was right in the heart of the city’s busiest district. It would have to do for now, and at least L could give Pongo a soft place to rest.

As he laid Pongo down on the pillows, L felt it again, the pulse beneath the earth. It was stronger this time, and it sent a chill up his spine. What was happening to the planet, what was causing this anomaly? He wasn’t sure, but it quickly became the least of his concerns.

Pongo’s chest arched up as his eyes were blown wide open, no longer their eerie indigo hue. They were white, glowing,  _ blinding _ , and he gasped with the sudden movement. L was able to connect the dipping dots. He kneeled beside Pongo, no longer concerned or afraid. 

Now he was  _ angry _ .

“He is not your weapon. Get out of his body.”

Pongo - no, not Pongo, the entity inside of him - kept gasping for air, kept struggling against an invisible threat. His gaze landing on L was something he almost missed.

**“I...created him. He belongs...to me.”**

“We do not care. You will not hurt anybody else.”

The entity’s voice was dark, and it didn’t belong to Pongo’s body. But L’s tone was poison, dripping from his thin blue lips. He saw how that poison affected the entity, how the purple began to return to the body’s eyes.

**“You...cannot...stop me. I will return, and...bring balance.”**

And then Pongo’s body went limp. L knew he was alive, he could tell by the faint rise and fall of his chest. He watched Pongo sleep, a yellow stare in the young night. He knew Pongo would be okay, but the poison remained in his system, brewing.

Mira had returned, and the last time it had claimed a body for its own, two species were massacred. 


	2. Noctilum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'ALL I'M SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING IN A WHILE, this chapter has actually been finished for a few months but I completely forgot to upload it here ;;
> 
> I hope this was worth the wait though! There's a lot more action in this chapter, and a few more key elements come into play. I'm writing Chapter 3 currently and am about 20% through as I write this ~

_Nobody was keen on fighting in the jungle continent. Both sides agreed that it was too beautiful to be tainted by the shadow of war. But it was too dangerous to be a safe haven, so he had to be careful, lest the wilderness claim him as a sacrifice._

_He lost his breath in Prim’ala-dor’ias, but continued to run on sheer will alone until he reached the mouth of the jungle continent. He fell to his knees, his lungs screaming for air, his hands clutching the moist soil below._

_The voice returned._

_**“Well done. You will be a good fit for my plan.”** _

_“Who are you?” He gasped, his own voice raspy and dry._

**_“I cannot consider myself an ally or an enemy in your war, but I can tell you I am a friend. I simply want this war to come to an end by any means necessary.”_ **

_“I want it...to end, too.” He admitted, “But I don’t...I don’t see how it can...anytime soon.”_

**_“That is where I come in. I have a plan. You will become the key to ending this war, but first you must accept me.”_ **

_“How do I accept you if I don’t know who - or what - you are?”_

_The voice was silent. He took the moment to straighten his spine, observe his surroundings. The quiet chirps of avian creatures, the gentle splashes of water coming from a distant lake, the breeze passing through the many leaves in the flora...it was breathtaking, it was beautiful, and in that moment it was his._

**_“I am the ground you kneel upon.”_ **

_The voice suddenly returned, and his eyes widened._

**_“I am the wind in the trees. I am every animal that has walked upon this ground, and every animal that has swam in the oceans, and has flown in the skies. I am the plants and insects, and I am the weather, the rain and storms and clouds.”_ **

_He stared out at the landscape, unable to believe his ears._

_“You...you are…”_

**_“I am the planet you call home.”_ **

_He finally closed his eyes, letting the darkness embrace him._

_“If you’re telling the truth...if you really are the planet...then show me how to end this war.”_

**_“With pleasure.”_ **

_A spark ran through his brain and his body collapsed. His screams of pain were lost to the wind._

~

Pongo didn’t remember what happened the night before. L never mentioned it, because Pongo had enough on his plate for the day. He was assigned in the early morning to a tyrant mission in Noctilum, to which L asked if he could tag along. Pongo was excited to have the company, and never suspected L’s reason for joining. He never even asked why L kept a close eye on Pongo, on his Skell as the team flew through the crisp morning air.

However, Mia did notice, and asked about it when the team had touched down near the Everwhelm Falls. She hopped out of her Skell - a Verus Cain, a gift from Pongo - and immediately made her way to L, nudging his elbow.

“Heya big blue, you’ve been making googly eyes at Pon since we got the mission briefing this morning!” She teased, “What’s up with that? Got something to confess?”

L shook his head, acting amused. “We are incapable of making our eyes ‘google’, but we admit, we have been intrigued by Pongo. He is our dear friend and we care for him very much. We do not see that as quite a confession, more of a factual statement.”

“I mean, yeah, you guys being pals is great, but I meant you were looking at him all like...lovey dovey.”

“Love akin to doves? Do you perhaps mean love akin to rock doves? Because we assure you, that love is much more complex and -”

“L.” Mira stopped him, raising both gloved hands with a smirk. “Buddy. Pal. I’m just asking if ya love Pongo. Y’know. Love him. As more than friends.”

L placed a careful finger to his chin. He hadn’t thought about his connection to Pongo in that way before, and he knew what Mia was suggesting. It would take a great deal of personal time to come to the conclusion she was making, time he didn’t have just yet. His main concern was front and center. He decided to tell Mia part of the truth.

“We are not interested in pursuing the topic of rock dove love at the present time. Our mind has been egged and scrambled as of late, so mayhaps in our thoughts we have inclined our gaze towards Pongo.”

“Deny it now, but when you two get together you owe me fifty credits,” Mia winked, “I won’t push it for now.” Noticing that Pongo was finally exiting his Skell, she called out, “Hey PonPon! Where’s our big baddy?”

As he placed his feet on the ground, their fourth teammate, Lin, also jumped out of her own Skell. L recalled how Pongo had originally invited Elma to join their mission. She was suddenly pulled away by an urgent Reclaimer meeting - L had heard rumors of a large White Whale database washing ashore at the northernmost tip of Cauldros. Lin had jumped in at the last minute to fill the gap. After all, three people couldn’t take on such a large tyrant on their own. A four member team was a favorable option.

Pongo pulled out his comm device, and as they approached him L saw that he had a detailed map on his screen. A red circle was blinking, moving slowly away from their location.

“North of here,” Pongo replied, “But before we go in with guns on fire, remember that we have limited data available on this tyrant. We know about those Ovis that seem to follow it, so we might have to take them out too. I would like to avoid it, if possible.”

“We doin’ this on foot or by Skell do ya think?” Mia asked.

“By Skell, for sure. I can stay on the ground to provide decoy through Ghost Factory, but we are definitely going to need the heavier fire from your mega weapon, Lin, and your G-Buster, Mia.”

“We are in possession of a Phoenix,” L added, against his desire to stay near Pongo, “If it is desired we shall also move our efforts to the sky!”

“That would be fantastic, though please be careful when you use it, the flame is big enough to aggravate enemies we do not wish to fight,” Pongo told him, “So then, three Skells, four if we need the extra offensive power. If you all focus on Pyotr, and it focuses on you, then I should have no problem giving you those buffs from the ground.”

“It’s like attacking bees versus a tiny nat,” Lin stifled a giggle, her attitude quickly changing with a simple realization. “That puts you in a dangerous spot if it does prioritize you, Pongo, you sure you’ll be okay?”

Pongo nodded, switching the comm device in his hand out for both of his dual guns. His photon saber was also strapped to his belt, a weapon L knew he favored. “I have full tension points on both the guns and the saber, enough for Overdrive and a bunch of buffs straight off the bat. Despite this, please do not do anything reckless - this is still a big tyrant, one that has taken down teams in the past. Keep in touch over comms, everyone, and best of luck out there.”

Everyone nodded, a sign of respect and of mutual preparedness. In their parting ways, Lin shared a quick glance with L, and immediately he knew she’d seen the connection. Elma had truly taught Pongo well, and it showed in his leadership. It was hard to think that he was the same person that L had stumbled into that one fateful day on the Noctilum road, a timid and soft spoken rookie.

And it was even harder to think that he was Mira’s new avatar.

With that thought weighing heavy on his shoulders, L turned away, began to head back to his Skell. But he saw Pongo pause, his guns still in both hands. He was looking down at them, a glazed look to his eyes, and L called back to him after Lin and Mia had gotten into their own Skells.

“What would be troubling your mind, Pongo?”

Pongo blinked away the thoughts, rolled his shoulders, and didn’t meet L’s gaze. “Nothing, nothing, just...Pyotr was recorded to be a peaceful tyrant just a few weeks ago. I just wonder what could have caused its demeanor to shift…”

In understanding, L nodded, and a breeze picked up suddenly. He smelled the faint hints of rain on the wind and knew a storm was going to pass soon. Even without that knowledge, L could feel within his gut that something was going to happen, something bigger than any of them could fathom. He wished away the bad feeling before entering his Skell once again and taking to the skies, where Lin and Mia were hovering.

The intercom whirred to life as L found Pongo’s Skell in vehicular mode, dashing across the grassland. “Alright, team, our target is straight ahead. Remember to focus attacks on Pyotr and not the Ovis - we want minimal damage to the surrounding area if possible.”

“Right on. We’ve got your back,” Lin confirmed, “If you can get those buffs in quick then we could probably G-Buster Pyotr on a focused point on his body to maximize damage.”

“We are aware of the back side being a weakened point,” L suggested, “Let us focus our ignited ferocity there first!”

As Lin and Mia gave their agreement to the plan, a shadow appeared over the horizon, a large hulking figure with long limbs and a compact face. Moss grew around its crevices, over its back, its forehead, its hands and feet. There was no doubt in his mind that this was Pyotr, the Shepherd. And there was no doubt that the two figures prancing underneath its feet were the two forewarned Ovis - Claire the Sheltered, Heidi the Lively. There was no way that they’d leave their shepherd to die, L knew at first glance. And with Pongo on the ground, there was a high chance he’d be the first to deal with them.

Something stirred within L. He had felt it before, dark and heavy.

_Fear._

“L, NOW!” When had Lin and Mia prepared their G-Busters?! No matter, L was quick to slam down on the corresponding arts button, and in quick succession, the three flying Skells drew their massive swords and slammed them down onto Pyotr’s backside. Unassuming and unprepared, Pyotr screamed, and a part of his back was sliced clean off. Pongo’s cheer was clear on the comm.

“YES! Keep hitting him where it counts - Ghost Factory!”

He was out of his Skell and on the ground, the familiar shadows echoing around him as he raised his guns out on both sides. L flew a full circle around Pyotr, looking for more weak spots as Lin drew his attention away. Maybe the knees should go next, he thought, maybe it would be worth it to knock him down and get him staggered, or better yet, toppled -

“Chief, the Ovis are riled up! Watch your back!” Mia shouted across the comm, and L noted that as he feared, both Claire and Heidi were charging Pongo. A swing and a miss from Pyotr’s massive fist diverted L’s attention before he could see whether Pongo heeded Mia’s warning. Everything moved faster than he could comprehend, and everything suddenly felt heavier, that feeling of fear consuming his body. His eyes widened when he made eye contact with Mia’s Skell, well above his own, and watched as Pyotr made another swing, this time directed at her. She wasn’t as lucky in avoiding it, taking the majority of the punch in her Skell’s right arm. She cursed over the intercom, but quickly assured them that she would be okay, it wasn’t enough to rip the arm off.

As the human saying went, she should have knocked her hand on a wooden surface.

Pyotr made another quick uppercut, nailing Mia’s Skell right in the cockpit. She was able to get one more curse over the intercom before she went radio silent, before L saw her smoking Skell fall from the sky. Lin cried out her name, and in that moment of prolonged distraction, Pyotr swung wildly at her Skell. L’s heart caught in his throat as he saw both Skells now toppling to the ground, smoking, damaged.

“Lin, Mia, help me out! L, keep him distra - oW -”

Pongo’s orders were cut off. L knew why. The Ovis were becoming a problem, little ticks on his skin that he couldn’t shake. L decided in a moment of clarity that being a distraction would be a suicide attempt, that he should move his efforts to the ground and help them where he could. His Skell landed, and he jumped out before Pyotr could knock him out of the sky.

Instead, Pyotr decided to knock him right back into the sky. Ten feet away from his Skell, the enraged Sylooth kicked at his tiny body. The impact sent him flying towards Pongo, flying towards the Ovis and straight into the ground. L coughed up dirt - and, was that blood, that blue taint there? - but forced himself to stand up. His right arm ached and he grabbed it with his left, feeling something swelling underneath his sleeve. He looked up after feeling the damage.

And there was Pongo, a tiny little thing, standing alone in front of Pyotr. His guns had lowered in defeat, his photon saber lying deactivated meters away. Two destroyed Skells had crash landed too far away, but he saw both Lin and Mia’s forms outside of them, each sporting their own collection of injuries. They were in no place to fight, none of them were. Pyotr roared as he realized he had won, Claire and Heidi joining with chirps of their own. Pongo’s form shook with fatigue and stress. He should have fallen, but something was keeping him upright. Pyotr noticed this, raising his fist, preparing to end what they had begun.

Barely standing, L’s mouth opened, a silent scream. But Pongo spoke first.

And it was in a language L knew wasn’t human.

He knew it wasn’t one the planet would translate. But L knew it, he knew what Pongo was saying, and in his awe he couldn’t bring himself to interrupt.

**_“Wait, please!”_ **

Pyotr’s fist stopped in the air, unclenching as Pongo shouted. It blinked once, nearly as confused as Lin and Mia appeared to be. Unaware and unassuming, Pongo continued, **_“Please, spare my friends! We were only acting on orders!”_**

And finally, Pongo became confused, for L heard Pyotr respond in a deep rumble, a language only they could hear.

**_THERE HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTS AGAINST US BEFORE. WE ONLY WISH FOR PEACE._ **

**_“...Then why have you been hurting us?”_ **

**_YOU HAVE SCARED US INTO FIGHTING. THIS CONTINENT WAS ONCE A PLACE OF PEACE, A HAVEN FROM WAR. WE ONLY WISH TO COEXIST WITH THE LIFE AROUND US._ **

And with those words, L’s body became heavy, weighed down by millennia of memories, millennia of suffering and pain. Did Pongo know the weight of Pyotr’s plea? Had Mira granted him that knowledge? He simply fell to his knees, unable to raise his head and watch the encounter unfold.

_**“That is our wish too, to be at peace with the life around us…”** _

_**THEN WHY HAVE YOU BEEN HURTING US?** _

There was a pause, and L managed to lift his head high enough to see Pongo, the tears falling down his tired face. **_“We...We never meant to hurt you. We were just trying to protect ourselves…”_**

**_AND WE, TOO, HAVE BEEN STRIVING TO PROTECT OURSELVES. YOU ARE FOREIGNERS TO THIS WORLD, AND WE HAVE FELT THREATENED BY YOUR EXPANSIONS, YOUR WARS._ **

**_“The Ganglion were the ones who -”_ **

**_YOU ARE AS MUCH A PART OF THIS WAR AS THEY ARE. DO NOT PLACE BLAME FOR A TWO SIDED WAR ON ONE SIDE, FOR YOUR KIND CHOSE TO FIGHT BACK._ **

**_“We had no choice but to fight back! Peace was never an option with the Ganglion, if we did not fight back we would have all died!”_ **

The hulking form of the Shepherd went quiet. Claire and Heidi bounded up to its feet, rubbing against the false tree bark skin. They dared not speak. L saw Pyotr’s chest rise and fall, heavy breathing, an eventual sigh that stirred the air around them.

**_IT SEEMS ALL CONFLICTS MUST BE RESOLVED WITH VIOLENCE. IT PAINS US, KNOWING THIS._ **

Pongo stifled a sob. **_“It hurts me, too. We have lost so many innocents, just like I imagine you have. But...could we at least work towards peace now? Come to an understanding?”_**

There was no hesitation.

**_IT WOULD BRING US GREAT JOY TO SPEAK WITH YOU. BUT WE DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, BEFORE OUR NEGOTIATIONS START._ **

**_“Absolutely! What would you ask of me?”_ **

**_YOU ARE NOT LIKE THE OTHER HUMANS. WHAT ARE YOU?_ **

L’s eyes widened, forcing himself up into a kneeling position. Pongo hesitated - no, he didn’t know his true nature, and L expected him to answer as such. Even so, L knew what he had to do. After this was said and done, he’d pull Pongo aside, shed light on his darkness. Pongo had a right to his truth.

**_“I am simply a kinder human than most, I would like to think.”_** Pongo eventually responded, **_“Now if I could ask this of you: might I tend to the wounds of my friends before this conversation? I want to make sure they are okay.”_**

**_OF COURSE. MY APOLOGIES FOR DESTROYING YOUR...AVIARY CONSTRUCTIONS._ **

Pongo quickly turned and made his way towards Lin and Mia, who drilled confused holes through his brain. L stayed put, trying to focus on his breathing - in, out, in, out. His team had almost been wiped out and they were about to sit down and have a chat with a Miran native - of course his nerves were about him.

L almost didn’t acknowledge one of the Ovis stepping up to him. Only when she nudged his shoulder did he blink and await her prompt.

**_YOU ARE ONE OF THE F’LENLA A’SLEGN, AND YET THE HUMAN WHO SPOKE WITH US IS NOT. HOW IS HE ABLE TO SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF MIRA?_ **

L looked towards Pongo, making sure he was out of earshot before he responded.

**_“Our dearest friend, it is because he is not human at all.”_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS WAS PAIN TO EDIT BECAUSE OF ALL THE ITALICS FHJHGKDHJK
> 
> Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy! Go follow me @KentuckyTheFry on Twitter for art related updates, and @KentuckyWrites for writing updates :3


	3. Oblivia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :3

_ He knew he wasn’t in control. Someone - something - was pulling the strings. But he could see and hear and taste and smell and feel. He could see the blood, the bodies scattered across the desert floor. He could see the carnage on both sides.  _

_ He could see that he was the one causing it. _

_ He couldn’t piece together how it was happening, it was all going by so quickly. There were flashes of red and yellow and white. _

_ And then it was over.  _

_ Nothing left alive but him. _

_ He hadn’t realized he was floating until his feet touched the ground.  _

_ “What...What happened?” _

**_“I put an end to the war.”_ **

_ He looked around, saw bodies, countless bodies, from both sides. So many were his people, so many were his enemies.  _

_ “And we did that by killing everything?” _

**_“Yes.”_ **

_ “...why?” _

_ His question was small and fragile, easily broken by the planet’s response. _

**_“Peace was never an option. Both sides were too committed to their cause. The only solution was genocide.”_ **

_ He felt everything inside him, every vessel and bone and cell, go cold and still. Tears streamed out of his eyes, ugly tears that eventually mixed with his snot and saliva as he fell to the ground, screaming, sobbing. He cried out to the planet, “What about those in Prim’ala-dor’ias? They refused to fight, they -” _

**_“They were spared, just as I spared those opposing you who refused to shed blood. I am not heartless.”_ **

_ He was panting, out of breath and scared. “But you killed people who fought because they were forced to. We had no choice.” _

**_“There is always a choice, my avatar.”_ **

_ “Not for them! I know many who never wanted to fight, but were threatened with death - their families would’ve been killed!!” _

**_“And they chose to bend their beliefs out of the fear of death. That is cowardly.”_ **

_ He forced himself to take deep breaths. There was a part of the planet’s opinion that he thought was honorable, but for that to lead to the deaths of all those people...all those who never even wanted to fight… _

_ None of his kind would ever accept him this way. He was the weapon that had killed so many of his kind.  _

_ In that moment, he felt very, very alone. _

_ “The war is over. Will you stay with me?” _

**_“Yes, as long as you want me to. We can rebuild what the war destroyed, let life thrive where death has wreaked havoc.”_ **

_ He nodded, gave a faint smile. _

_ “Show me the way.” _

  
  


~

Once again, Pongo didn’t know anything was wrong.

Lin and Mia had pulled him aside after the incident with Pyotr. They expressed a childish wonder in his ability to communicate with the tyrant, and they asked him how and why he was able to do what he did. Pongo answered with enthusiastic confusion - he wasn’t sure of the details himself. Wasn’t he speaking normally? Didn’t they hear Pyotr’s voice in their heads?

L knew better than to approach him at first. Instead he asked Pongo a few days later if he wanted to take on a gathering mission in Oblivia together. Pongo was happy to accept the offer, and so the two got in their Skells and drove there. Flying would’ve been quicker, but Pongo insisted the drive between continents was too scenic and beautiful to pass up. 

L wished he could agree. The transition between a green continent, one full of life and wonder, to a continent that had seen thousands of lives fall, had embraced their bodies into the sand with no apparent benefit. Life did inhabit Oblivia, but not in the way L remembered. Not in the way it should’ve.

They did have to fly for part of the journey, as the Floating Reef was said to be one of the prime spots for the collectible to grow. L had picked this specific mission for a reason, as aside from the Curator reports, their target - two dobobora broccoli samples - was almost unobtainable. It would take someone with a good sense of the land to even locate one tiny sample. 

They landed on a quiet part of the island, though in the distance duoguills and aetrygons claimed the air as their own. They were sensitive creatures, and dangerous in groups. L kept his gaze on the closest pairs as Pongo descended from his Skell, walking up with his comm device in hand. 

“Alright! The dobobora broccoli samples should be growing somewhere in the near vicinity,” Pongo claimed with a smile, and off he went in search of the samples. His first spot was near the water, a small lake that was fed by a waterfall cascading from the top of the floating island. The water created an ambience that was welcoming to L’s ears, and cautiously, he began his own search for the samples. He went towards one of the island walls to “search”, but instead he took the time to word what he was going to say, composing himself for the inevitable. Having Pongo out here, where it was just him and L, was going to make things easier. No one else could judge him, no one else could confuse him with strange questions. L would be able to answer anything, everything. He convinced himself of this, in the end. 

“Oh, L’Cirufe! Look!”

Pongo called him back to reality, and when L turned to him, Pongo was kneeling and pointing towards a patch of bright red fauna a few feet away from L’s feet. 

“Revolution poppies!” Pongo chirped, eyes bright with the discovery, “Guess they are back in season! I did not expect them for at least another two weeks.”

There it was. L tensed, knowing this was the moment of truth.

“How do you know what they are?”

Pongo raised an eyebrow. “What? They always grow here every spring.”

“Oh, our dear friend...the revolution poppies are not listed within the Collectopedia. You should have no knowledge of their existence.”

“...You are joking, right? L’Cirufe, I do not find this funny.”

“We speak the truth. Gaze upon its contents, see for yourself.”

There was silence as Pongo stared at him, then grabbed his comm device slowly out of his back pocket. In the next tense moments, Pongo’s eyes went wide.

“...what is this?...”

L bent down, at first staying on his knees, but then positioning himself with legs crossed to become eye level with Pongo. Pongo hardly noticed, instead beginning to mumble as the panic claimed his heart and mind.

“No, this cannot be right, maybe the Collectopedia has not been updated on my comm device, the revolution poppies have existed since the war, the humans should have - the humans? No, gods, what am I  _ saying _ , what war is this, what is  _ happening  _ to me -”

“Mira.”

Pongo suddenly looked up at him. White tinged the corners of his sclera. 

“L’Cirufe...what did you just call me?”

L reached for Pongo’s hands. They shook under his skin, so small compared to his own. 

“We referred to you as Mira,” L told him softly, “Because that is who created you. That voice inside your head, claiming to know everything about this world and its inhabitants...that is Mira.”

“How can the  _ planet  _ be  _ sentient _ ?!” Pongo cried, “That cannot - this is  _ impossible  _ -”

“It is not by any means impossible,” He responded with a heavy heart, “And we know this to be true because that same voice plagued our ears for millennia before you came. We know what it wants.”

Pongo’s eyes squeezed shut and his hands became taut. L felt the breeze around them grow with a ferocious hunger, working to drown them, sweep them away in the current. L cried out his name, but nothing could be heard over the sound of life around them, a magnificent storm that would not be silenced. They stayed still together for what seemed like an eternity, and when the wind subdued to his wishes, Pongo’s eyes opened.

And they were no longer indigo. Instead, they shone white.

However, the voice that came out of his mouth remained his own.

“Your people...I...I remember their pain. I remember destroying countless innocents because their war was killing me. I remember using you as a weapon and creating this body and…” Pongo paused, “...that was me. That was my fault.”

“No, it wasn’t,” L told him firmly, taking Pongo’s hands in his own. How small they were compared to his, how gentle and forgiving. They were not the hands that pulled him by the strings all those years ago. “You are Pongo, and -”

“You just called me Mira!” Pongo shouted, yanking his hands out of L’s grasp, “Who am I then?! I remember being Pongo, but these memories are not mine, these belong to...to the planet! They do not belong to me, but I know them, I can see them, how can I see memories that are not mine unless I was there?!”

L took too long to respond. Pongo turned away, standing back up with his head in his hands. L could hear his muted sobs over the waterfall. L stood up, reaching out to graze Pongo’s shoulder. He could smell the rain in the air, a threatening aura hanging low in the sky. In the distance, a thunder echoed across the desert plains. 

“Mira wants humanity  _ dead _ .”

Pongo breathed, a whisper that almost went unheard. “It wants to control me - this body - and use me like it used you. History would repeat itself, thousands of innocents would die, the planet would be wiped clean of humans and Nopons and Ganglion and…”

“Take deep breaths,” L told him, taking a cautious step forward, and as soon as he did, Pongo spun in the opposite direction. The first drops of rain hit his shoulders, the stormclouds having caught up to them too quickly. L’s hands were shaking at his sides, his knees trembling - he thought he knew all the answers Pongo wanted, but this? No, neither of them were ready. And that feeling of incompetence was a weight on L’s shoulders, heavier than what Mira had placed upon him so long ago.

“I...I need to go,” Pongo pushed past L, went for his Skell. L reached out with a shaking hand to stop him, but his fingertips only brushed the fabric of his combat vest. “If the planet wants to end this war, then I will get as far away from the city as I can, it should give you enough time to warn New Los Angeles about me -”

“Oh, our dearest friend, that is not -”

“SHUT UP!!” Pongo whipped around, screamed so loud that it felt like the world has suddenly stopped turning, “I need to figure this out for myself and keep the city safe while I am at it. Do you really think you could stop me when you could not stop your own people from being massacred?!”

L stopped short. Something in him went cold, something had snapped so hard that he wasn’t sure if he could fix it. Pongo glared through him for another second before seeing how much pain L was in, and then he relaxed, immediately regretting what he’d said. Pongo wiped his nose with the inside of his wrist, sniffling before turning back towards his Skell.

“I am sorry, L’Cirufe. I know you want to help. But -”

“Just go.” L spat, “Figure it out yourself, since you are so insistent on pushing us away.”

And now it was L’s turn to turn away, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched the aetrygons in the distance perform their aerial dances. Pongo didn’t say anything else, not another word, not even a goodbye. All L heard was the cockpit of a Skell open and close, and the engines roaring to life as he flew away. L didn’t turn around. He couldn’t watch, not after that.

He sat down next to the revolution poppies, after his legs started to hurt from standing. The night greeted him with a terrible sadness, and the poppies began to glow as L cried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay for inconsistent updates! Sorry this was a shorter chapter, but the next two (well, the last two) will be a lot juicier, I promise! I've got most of the bullet points for the rest of the story and I'm excited to keep working on it ~


	4. Sylvalum

_ It had taken centuries, long and grueling centuries, but the planet was recovering. They had focused on the three continents affected the most by the war: Obi-liv’isk, Siy’valis-um, and Call’dive-ros. In that time they had never seen one of his people. That single fact was enough to make him miserable, for deep down he missed them. Thankfully the feeling was deep enough to go unnoticed by the planet. _

_ Of the most affected continents, Siy’valis-um was the closest to its former glory. It once possessed a similar ecosystem to Prim’ala-dor’ias, but now harbored unseen creatures, more dangerous and predatory, None of the creatures dared to harm him. The planet made sure to tell them what he was.  _

_ He walked close to the continent’s greatest lake, along where the water met the land. The water was opaque, but he knew it wasn’t deep, wasn’t one of the many harborers of unseen enemies. He stared out at the expanse, at the old cervus that drank from the shallows. He felt nothing and feared nothing.  _

_ The immovable water splashed at his shoes. _

**_“I sense something troubling you, my avatar.”_ **

_ “We have been together for centuries, and yet we are lonely, and we are tired.” He admitted quietly. _

**_“...Yes, we are. I have neglected you in lieu of rebuilding what was destroyed.”_ **

_ He turned then, and he faced the gigantic green orb, the mightiest of the continent’s “trees”. However, unlike most its wildlife, the orb housed a planetary parasite, one that had tried to destroy the planet once and for all.  _

_ The planet had no name for it aside from the Everqueen. Its planetary guardian, the Endbringer, had trapped it inside halfway though the rebuilding process. The Everqueen slept within it, trapped, contained.  _

_ It sent chills down his spine. Oh, how the planet had screamed in pain upon its arrival. To think it could’ve killed everything in its wake and not felt satiated. _

_ “We do not blame you, old friend. You have been working hard these past years.” _

_ The ground quivered beneath his feet.  _

**_“But I have neglected your wellbeing. For that, I give my deepest apologies.”_ **

_ There was silence, and then, a sudden exclamation.  _

**_“What if I created a tangible form for myself? A humanoid, so that I could accompany you across my continents. We would be together, physically and mentally.”_ **

_ “Are you sure that wouldn’t strain our mind?” He asked, concerned but intrigued. _

**_“Even if it did, I owe this to you. You have been alone, all this time.”_ ** _ The wind came to a stop, and he heard the whispers of the creatures around him, saw the wisps of pollen fall to the sand.  _ **_“I will need your help, however. I can only accomplish this at the Beacon, and I will require components from the land to create this form. I can supply the miranium, but you are free to choose whatever you feel will create the most beautiful form.”_ **

_ He grinned. When was the last time he had been truly excited by something? Finally, he would not be alone, the planet would be there in a physical form to walk alongside him.  _

_ “We will need time,” He said, “But we are willing to help you.” _

**_“Excellent,”_ ** _ The planet whispered lovingly,  _ **_“I will see you at the Beacon, old friend, and together we shall create something beautiful.”_ **

  
  


Three months had passed since Pongo disappeared.

L bestowed the news to everyone Pongo considered a friend, and word quickly spread that one of Elma’s own trainees had left BLADE for good. Rumors were abundant; some claimed he had been picked off by an indigen, others wondered if the surviving Ganglion had taken him hostage. And some yet saw right through L’s news - some believed he wouldn’t be gone for long. They knew how dedicated he was to the Interceptors and said he just needed time away to destress, and one day he’d come back as chipper as ever.

L abandoned hope early on that Pongo would ever return. But he kept that notion under careful wraps, especially in front of Lin and Elma. 

He was with them both in the commercial district when they got the BLADE-wide emergency notification. Nearly every squad was being sent to Sylvalum to monitor the Noctilucent Sphere. L didn’t need to read the rest of the order to know why.

The flight to Sylvalum was tense. The sky was now crowded with Skells of all shapes and sizes, some carrying large supply crates. When L was close enough to the continent to see the sphere, he saw it shake, he heard a roar loud enough to echo across the ocean. He followed Elma and Lin, who landed near the edge of Lake Ciel. A whole operation had been set up there, with BLADEs going back and forth between tents and small construction points with supplies and information and weapons strapped to their belts. Elma got out quickly, her long sparkling hair catching some of the breeze, and the three of them proceeded towards the largest tent. 

Inside, Secretary Nagi and Commander Vandham were bent over a table with a hologram projection. Both looked concerned at its contents. When the three of them entered, only Nagi looked up to acknowledge them. 

“Elma. Good, let’s get you filled in,” Nagi said, beckoning for all three of them to wrap around the table, get a better look at the hologram. L understood that it was meant to be a replica of the Noctilucent Sphere, its circular dimensions and its hollow inside. Somehow life had come to inhabit the inner sphere, plantlife and a few sparse indigens. 

And of course, there was the Everqueen. But they probably didn’t know how it got inside such a tiny sphere.

Vandham grunted as L passed him to get a better look at the hologram, feigning innocence at its contents. Lin went around with Elma and stayed on Nagi’s side of the table. 

“As you know, the Noctilucent Sphere is home to a very large and very dangerous indigen,” Nagi explained, “We’ve been monitoring it closely since we’ve discovered it, and unless it’s disturbed from inside, it tends not to move. But something in the past few days has awakened it, and it seems determined to escape.”

“Damn thing’s causing such a ruckus in there that it’s hard to say whether or not it’ll actually bust out,” Vandham piped up, rubbing his moustache with the inner part of his thumb. “But we’re betting that it will, and soon. Hence the BLADE-wide operation.”

“And nothing akin to this has happened in the past?” Elma asked, “I find it strange that it chooses now of all time to try and escape. Was there some kind of stimuli that aggravated it from inside?”

“None that we know of,” Nagi replied somberly, “If we knew, that would make things much easier on our end, because at least then we could attempt to reverse its effects.”

“So the entire operation that’s on guard outside...that’s precautionary if Pharsis escapes?” Lin said, tapping her chin with her finger. “It’s a good amount of manpower, but -”

“It isn’t enough?” Nagi cut in, “Yes, that’s our greatest fear going into this. However, Elma, you were on to something before, and that’s why we’re assigning you and Irina’s team to head into the sphere and gather intel.”

L’s eyes widened. That was a suicide mission, going into the cage of the very monster that had almost killed Mira thousands of years ago. And yet he seemed to be the only one there with any semblance of anxiety. Lin almost appeared excited at the prospect of going into the sphere.

“I’m all for the idea of gathering intel on how to stop this, Commander, but if I might pose a concern: who’s to say the Skells landing in the opening won’t trigger Pharsis to destroy the sphere?” Elma said, arms crossed.

Nagi took a deep breath, his shoulders stiff. “This is a risk that we have to take if we are to avoid certain catastrophe. I’m not especially keen on the idea myself, but I knew you and your team would be willing to tackle it, potential consequences and all.”

Elma and Lin both nodded. Lin looked to L, raising an eyebrow when she realized he hadn’t agreed along with them. He cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention towards him.

“We have a pen’s ink as to what is disturbing the Everqueen,” L told them, trying to ignore his voice cracking, “And we may know how to halt its escape efforts.”

“Why didn’t ya pipe up before, then?” Vandham nudged him with his elbow, a stronger gesture than L anticipated, and one that almost knocked him off balance. “Tell us what ya know!”

All eyes were on L as he did his best to provide an explanation while leaving out the private details, skewing truths where he could. “The Everqueen arrived with the intent to devour the planet. We remember the Endbringer creating its prison to halt its advances, and so the Endbringer would have the necessary strength to fortify its bars again.”

“You mean the Telethia,” Nagi confirmed, “That resides primarily in Noctilum, no?”

“It’s a reasonable assumption to make, though I’ll admit to having seen it fly over Sylvalum before,” Elma said, “Is there any way the Telethia knows that Pharsis is trying to escape? And if not, how would we be able to contact it in time?”

“She most certainly has awareness of the problem on our palms, but her strength on her own will not be enough. We know what the Endbringer requires, but...it is a great distance away from our current position.”

Elma paused, pursing her lips. “How much longer until Pharsis breaks out of the sphere?”

“We can’t be sure,” Nagi said, “At this rate, her escape seems likely within the next twenty four hours. But that’s prone to change considering her strength in this endeavor.”

“Is that enough time to get what you need to the Telethia?” Elma turned to L, crossing her arms.

L paused. There was hope in her expression, in everyone’s eyes. The lie was too convincing, perhaps because it came from a Miran native, perhaps because L was a good liar, perhaps because they  _ needed  _ to hear that there was a way to stop this before it killed them all. But L left out the part about not knowing where the Endbringer’s missing puzzle piece was.

After all, how could he know where Pongo had gone?

But he continued to lie, because Lin’s smile was too excited. Because they needed good news.

“That is quite enough and more!” L said, earning nods from everyone in the tent. 

“Then get out there, take whatever and whoever you need,” Vandham ordered, “Just get back here as quick as ya can, huh?”

“Yes, sir!” L rushed out, ducking beneath the tent’s entrance and heading to the outside. Sylvalum’s crisp air greeted him, a sharp presence carrying secrets never heard. L had good memories of this place, having memorized Lake Ciel’s coastline, having befriended many of the indigens around him in the past. They probably knew what was happening just as much as the humans did. L blinked, but kept his eyes closed for a prolonged amount of time, just letting himself go to Sylvalum’s twisted sense of peace.

And that was when he heard it.

The wind changed. Before, it had been playing a gentle song, a whistle barely registered past the screams of the Everqueen. But now there were words mixed in with it, words that L almost didn’t pick up on. Was it even right to call them words? The wind was telling him to turn around, go to the edge of the operation, be quiet. L turned and walked, making sure that his movements were not suspicious. Elma and Lin hadn’t exited the tent with him before, providing the perfect opportunity to go alone, to investigate whatever Sylvalum was trying to hide. It wasn’t a far walk to the edge of the operation, and hardly anyone was there. L ducked away behind a stray tent, looking for what the wind was guiding him towards.

A hand pressed down on his inner arm.

L spun around, mouth open as he was about to ask who, what, why. The wind went silent.

Pongo grinned at him. It was sad, hardened almost, but it was still Pongo’s grin. L barely had time to register the fact that Pongo, the physical Pongo, was standing in front of him before they were hugging each other. Pongo buried his head into L’s chest, and L’s head dangled down, an awkward angle to bend thanks to their height difference. His hair smelled of fresh rain and dampened soil, the water and its earth. They didn’t pull apart when Pongo spoke.

“Are you okay, L’Cirufe?”

What else had L expected him to say? They pulled apart, and L saw Pongo’s tears, a mixture of fear and regret. L kept his hands on Pongo’s shoulder - both for Pongo’s sake, and because L was so scared that he wasn’t real, that if he was he was seconds away from disappearing again.

“We are alright, now that you have returned,” L smiled wide, “We would ask you about your adventures, but time is not to be had.”

“I know. I am not sure I would have come back so soon if it had not been for…”

They both looked up at the sphere, how it shook with the Everqueen’s rage. Nothing needed to be said then. All L knew was the feeling of Pongo’s vest beneath his hands, and the ever increasing tightness in his chest. When Pongo tore his gaze away from the sphere, he wiped his eyes and nose with the back of his sleeve.

“I think we both know how to keep her from escaping,” Pongo said, “But I will need your help to get to Cauldros -”

“ _ No _ .”

Pongo paused. “L’Cirufe, what other choice do we have? She is going to slaughter everyone here - all of humanity, every indigen, every continent. I cannot let history repeat itself.”

“You will die if you continue down this beaten path,” L argued, his hands tensing on Pongo’s shoulders, “We will not let you do this. You will lose yourself to its power and -”

“I do not care what happens to me,” He interjected, “The planet is not the same as before. It is weak, and if I do not give myself up to it then Mira will never be able to recover. It would never have the time to. This is the most viable option, and I am willing to sacrifice myself for it.”

L took a deep breath, forcing himself to look away. Times were different, that he could understand, but time couldn’t erase the possibility that Pongo would be reduced to what L had become. A living weapon of Mira’s design, out of control and out of touch. Mira could still use Pongo’s body to inflict its will. The Everqueen was not its only target.

“How do you know that it will not use you to carry out any other schemes?” L asked, after the silence had tried to hold them down again. 

“I have no way of knowing that,” Pongo admitted, “All I can do is trust that Mira will use my body to restore the balance. Mira is angry at the human race, yes, but more than anything else right now, it...it just wants to be safe. And the Everqueen is the most direct threat to that.”

“If we cannot convince you of the dangers...then we would have no choice but to accompany you,” L said softly, unable to mask the pain in his voice. 

“Count us both in, too.”

Pongo’s eyes widened and L turned around, realizing that Elma and Lin were now standing behind him. Elma’s arms were crossed over her chest, her crystalline brow furrowed with a deep confusion, a desire to understand something bigger than herself. Lin ran past L and quickly wrapped her arms around Pongo, who reciprocated just as quickly, even picking her up off the ground and swinging her around in a circle. They both laughed like no time had passed between them. 

“How much of the conversation did you drop the evening on?” L asked Elma, saddened that Pongo and Lin’s laughter was doing nothing to improve his mood.

“Most of it,” She said, “Although I’m still trying to piece together what exactly you were talking about. You kept speaking as if Mira - the planet - is some kind of sentient being, one that’s capable of controlling Pongo. Is this true?”

L couldn’t bring himself to answer - it wasn’t a truth he was willing to speak. It was Pongo’s right, and Pongo’s choice. He waited for the raven-haired Interceptor to put Lin down, whispering something quickly before turning to Elma. Traces of his happiness lingered on his lips, but it was too easily tainted by the weight of the situation.

“Yes,” Pongo said, “Mira is a sentient being. I am still trying to figure out what exactly it is, but I can now say with certainty that it created me as a vessel to communicate with humanity. It told me how I can weaken Pharsis and prevent her from escaping.”

“Which is why you have to go to Cauldros,” Elma concluded, “L, I thought you needed to communicate with the Telethia in order to stop Pharsis.”

“We do,” Pongo said, “But...okay, how do I explain this...you know how we have been mining miranium from the planet for the industrial district? Miranium is like the blood of Mira - take too much of it at one time, and the planet will grow incredibly weak. Right now, it is too weak to communicate with the Telethia directly, much less any of the other indigens inhabiting the continents. Hell, Mira only just had the strength to talk to me three months ago, and even those conversations have been few and far between. Since it does not have the strength it needs to command the Endbringer, I will have to go to Mount M’Gando in Cauldros and -”

“And rejoin with the planet,” L mumbled, unable to make eye contact with Pongo. He could feel Pongo’s gaze on him regardless.

“Mira used a lot of miranium to create me. If I were to give my miranium back to Mira, it could use what I have to tell the Telethia to fly to Sylvalum and keep the Everqueen at bay,” Pongo finished.

“Wait, but that would kill you!” Lin cried, “You’re saying you have to sacrifice yourself for this to work!”

“You’re certain that there’s no other solutions?” Elma asked.

Pongo shook his head. “It is too late to tell humanity to stop drilling, and if we were to swap myself for some indigens, it would wipe out an entire continent and then some.”

“You must have a lot of miranium in your body,” She said, a thought spoken out loud, “What about your left arm?”

To L’s surprise, Pongo chuckled at the resurfaced memory. “That is  _ definitely  _ not miranium. A lot of it is in my own bloodstream, especially my heart.”

L finally had the strength to look back up at Pongo, at Elma and Lin. Lin looked as if she were on the brink of tears, and L couldn’t blame her. This was the only way, the only option left to pick. It was no wonder why Mira was mad at humanity - humans had drained it of power, and now they were going to pay the ultimate price. Either the planet’s most beautiful creation would die, or everyone would. Of course the path was clear to Pongo, who would sacrifice himself at every turn to keep friends and strangers alike safe from harm. But to Elma, to Lin, to L…

This was too much.

Elma broke the silence, which L hadn’t noticed was there to begin with. “If this is the only way, we’ll accompany you to Cauldros. Ganglion activity there is still prominent, and we can’t have any distractions.”

“Yeah…” Lin’s response was drawn out, hesitant, “We’ll go with you. There’s no way you’re doing this alone.”

“Thank you both,” Pongo smiled, and suddenly Lin was hugging him again, and he was hugging her back. L could barely hear Lin’s whisper, buried deep in Pongo’s shoulder.

“I only just got you back…”

When they pulled apart, Elma got out her comm device, calling who L assumed to be either Nagi or Vandham. “Change of plans. We’re heading to Cauldros to call the Telethia. Keep us updated if anything changes.”

“Same to you,” Nagi’s voice was scratchy over the intercom, and Elma quickly put her comm device back into a pocket in her armor - which, how did her armor even have pockets? That was the least of L’s concerns, though, and he pushed the thought away.

“Alright then,” Pongo said, facing everyone with a cheerful determination, “To Cauldros.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter remaining...I hope you've been enjoying this so far! Believe it or not I don't consider myself good at short stories like this; I'm a novel writer at heart so this has been a fun experiment. Also ANGST ANGST ANGST ANGST

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to Imperium, a project that I'm reviving from three years ago (when I first entered the Xenoblade X community). It was an ambitious project, one that I expected to be the length of a novel, but I've since revised the idea and expect it to be five chapters, each with the theme of one of the five continents of Mira. As I'm putting a lot of love into this project, updates will be infrequent, but I guarantee they will be of the highest quality. 
> 
> Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy! Go follow me @KentuckyTheFry on Twitter for art related updates, and @KentuckyWrites for writing updates :3


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